INTENSIVE SHAOLIN KUNGFU COURSE AND INTENSIVE TAIJIQUAN COURSE
Internal Force
Question
I would like to thank you for offering the Qigong intensive course. The focus of your course seems to be on health. If I want to focus on combat efficiency, would the course have the same benefits or would the Gongfu course be better? Of course, I also desire to have good health through Qigong.
-- Christopher, Singapore
Answer
Although there are similarities, the objectives of my Intensive Chi Kung (Qigong) Course and of my Intensive Kungfu (Gongfu) Courses are different. The chi kung course provides participants with fundamental skills and techniques to relax, attain a one-pointed mind, and generate energy flow for health and vitality. The kungfu course provides participants with fundamental skills to develop internal force and to use typical kungfu patterns for combat.
While essential requirements for combat efficiency like abundant energy and mental clarity are acquired in the chi kung course, the actual application of techniques for combat is not taught. Hence, if you wish to learn how to use Shaolin or Taijiquan patterns for combat, you will not find it in my chi kung course. You would have to take my Intensive Shaolin Kungfu Course or my Intensive Taijiquan Course for this purpose.
But this does not necessarily mean that the Intensive Chi Kung Course is not useful for combat efficiency. Skills like focusing the mind, directing energy to flow to particular parts of the body, and using mind and not muscular tension to generate force, which are emphasized in the chi kung course, are extremely useful for combat efficiency.
If all other things were equal, a person who has taken my Intensive Chi Kung Course before taking my Intensive Shaolin Kungfu Course or my Intensive Taijiquan Course, will be a better martial artist than another person who only takes my Intensive Shaolin Kungfu Course or Intensive Taijiuqan Course. Nevertheless, to save cost, those interested in combat efficiency may straightaway attend my Shaolin or Taijiquan course, without having to attend my chi kung course.
They will also attain excellent health from my Shaolin and Taijiquan courses. Our Shaolin Wahnam philosophy is excellent for health first, then combat efficiency. This is also logical.
Those who are fit but not healthy, like many external martial artists are, may still become very good fighters. But if they aim for the highest level in combat efficiency, they must have excellent health, not only physically but also emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Someone who is very powerful and can apply effective fighting techniques, but sustains internal injury, is aggressive in disposition, harbours hatred towards his opponent, or is angry at himself — which are examples of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual illness — cannot attain the highest level of martial art.
The above is taken from Question 7 June 2004 Part 3 of the Selection of Questions and Answers.
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